VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

American Express Company vs Universal Music Group N.V.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

American Express Company

AXP · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
52/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into American Express Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AXP analysis

Universal Music Group N.V.

UMG · Euronext Amsterdam

Market cap (USD)
SectorCommunication Services
CountryNL
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
77/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Universal Music Group N.V.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View UMG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Universal Music Group N.V. leads (77 / 100 vs 52 / 100 for American Express Company).
  • Segment focus: American Express Company has 4 segments (47.5% in U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)); Universal Music Group N.V. has 3 segments (75.2% in Recorded Music).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: n/a vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: American Express Company has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Universal Music Group N.V. has 5 across 3.

Primary market context

American Express Company

U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)

Market

U.S. premium consumer card issuing (charge and credit) and attached consumer banking and financing

Geography

United States

Customer

Consumers

Role

Issuer (proprietary cards) and consumer lender/services

Revenue share

47.5%

Universal Music Group N.V.

Recorded Music

Market

Recorded music rights (labels) and monetization (streaming, physical, licensing/sync)

Geography

Global

Customer

Digital service providers (audio/video/social), physical retailers, and licensing counterparties

Role

Label / master rights holder; artist development, marketing and distribution

Revenue share

75.2%

Side-by-side metrics

American Express Company
Universal Music Group N.V.
Ticker / Exchange
AXP - New York Stock Exchange
UMG - Euronext Amsterdam
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Sector
Financials
Communication Services
HQ country
US
NL
Primary segment
U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)
Recorded Music
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
31%-33% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
n/a
Moderate
Moat score
52 / 100
77 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Financial, Network
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustLong Term Contracts

American Express Company strengths

Switching Costs GeneralCost Of Capital AdvantageTraining Org Change CostsEcosystem ComplementsTwo Sided NetworkData Network Effects

Universal Music Group N.V. strengths

Content Rights CurrencyScale Economies Unit CostService Field Network

Segment mix

American Express Company segments

Full profile >

U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)

Competitive

47.5%

Commercial Services (CS)

Competitive

23.9%

International Card Services (ICS)

Competitive

17.3%

Global Merchant and Network Services (GMNS)

Oligopoly

11.3%

Universal Music Group N.V. segments

Full profile >

Recorded Music

Oligopoly

75.2%

Music Publishing

Oligopoly

17.9%

Merchandising and Other

Competitive

7.1%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.